Everything You Need To Know About Coronavirus And Your Dog

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Are you worried about the coronavirus? Here’s everything you need to know about coronavirus and your dog. We hope this helps you answer some questions.

The recent Coronavirus strain, COVID-19 has spread to 50 countries and it is becoming a pandemic. The latest news states that one dog in Hong Kong has a weak positive strain of the Coronavirus. Her owner contracted the virus and when they checked her dog, the virus was found on the dog’s nose and mouth.

It has been a few days past the tests, the dog is still healthy and does not show any symptoms of the disease. Doctors predict that it may be a case of environmental contamination. Which means that the dog hasn’t contracted the disease but picked up the virus from sniffing the floor and licking the infected owner.

In the wake of the recent news, many pet parents have abandoned their dogs because they are afraid they may contract the illness from them. But there isn’t any research that suggests that we can get the illness from our dogs. In fact, so far COVID-19 is a people to people disease. Humans are contracting it by an infected person.

Here are some questions you may have about the Coronavirus and your dog. We want to answer them the best way possible.

Can My Dog Get Coronavirus?

Dogs get a different strain of coronavirus namely – the Canine Respiratory Coronavirus or Canine Coronavirus (CCV). CCV is non-contagious to humans and is easily treatable amongst dogs. There are also vaccinations available for dogs. The 9 in 1 vaccination, commonly given to dogs in India, covers CCV as well. Hence vaccination is a must.

CCV is mostly life-threatening for unvaccinated puppies but as they grow older they build a very strong immunity and are left unaffected even if they come in contact with the infected faeces. As for COVID-19, there is no research to suggest that your dog will get the disease.

There are so many pets across the globe and so far only one dog has shown a weak positive strain. She does not show any symptoms of the condition hence there is no concrete evidence to prove that it is life-threatening for our dogs.

Doctors and scientists are working around the clock to contain the disease before it becomes worrisome for our pets.

Can I Get Coronavirus From My Dog?

Currently, research suggests that COVID-19 is only contracted by infected humans. If the virus is on a surface and is not contracted within a few hours, it dies, hence dogs are not strong carriers of the diseases.

You are far more likely to get the condition from touching an infected person. The virus spreads through the mucus of the infected person. So, when you are in the same room as an infected person who sneezes or coughs, you can get infected.

How Do I Protect Myself And My Dog For Coronavirus?

There is very little known about the virus and hence it’s best to be safe than sorry. To protect yourself and your dog, you can take regular precautions as you would with your dog. Make sure to wash your hands and your feet with soap whenever you come home.

Wash your hands before and after touching your dog. Keep their paws clean. It is ideal to wash their paws with water and a disinfectant like Savlon after they come home from a walk. Dogs tend to groom themselves after a walk, hence keeping their paws clean after a walk will insure that they are safe.

Many pet parents are putting masks on their dogs because of coronavirus. Please avoid putting masks on your dog. Dogs don’t have sweat glands like us hence they need an open mouth to pant and cool themselves. By putting on a mask you are preventing your dog from doing basic bodily functions.

Lastly, to protect yourself from the virus, avoid touching your face. Avoid public places as much as you can and avoid coming in contact with others in public place. Also, avoid market places if you can help it.

Don’t Panic

The coronavirus is spreading rapidly but we request all pet parents to stay calm. As of today, there are around 61 Coronavirus cases in India, which is less than 0.1% of the country’s population.

If you follow the tips above, you will be fine. Scientists are already working towards finding a vaccination which is currently under testing.

Our dogs have a very strong immune system and the chances of them getting the dreaded coronavirus are close to negative.

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About Dheepakh

Dheepakh is a dedicated pet parent. His love for his dogs turned him into a pet food enthusiast. He has dedicated all his life to understand pet food nutrition and is eager to learn everyday.

One Reply to “Everything You Need To Know About Coronavirus And Your Dog”

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Goodness Pet Food is literally the BEST. I read their posts regularly, and I’m also so grateful. It helped me not only train my dogs but also with how to keep them healthy and happy, hope it helps some others!